26-year-old daughter gets invited to dinner with stepmom and stepsister, only for stepmom to tell her to leave once they get to the restaurant, daughter turns to her dad: ‘Apparently I wasn’t invited after all’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 20, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Wanting to get along with someone who might become your stepparent is a totally natural thing. None of us wants to end up like a classic Disney princess, stuck in a castle or washing the floors after our evil stepmother and stepsisters. So even if we are not so excited about the fact that are parents are dating new people, it might be best to get on their good side and maintain a decent relationship with them, for the sake of the family.

However, just like Cinderella, who did nothing to her evil stepmother, sometimes other people's behavior is beyond our control. We can't make anyone like us, and we can't force a connection to happen if it is not there. We have to accept that even if we do our absolute best to make something happen, it doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. That is just the way some things go.

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  • That is the advice we would give to the girl in the story below. Even though she really did try to make friends with her dad's girlfriend, it doesn't seem like the feeling is mutual. However, when the situation reached a boiling point at the doorstep of a restaurant, the girl decided to involve her dad. 

    Keep scrolling to read the full tale.

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    Cheezburger Image 10519374080
    via Liza Summer

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    AITA for telling my dad I felt excluded after his girlfriend didn’t include me in dinner?

    (26F) have been staying at my dad's place for a bit while I look for a new apartment. He lives with his girlfriend (36F) and her
    via MilMoixp
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    daughter (13F). It's been okay lately howecer honestly kind of awkward. I try to stay out of the way, keep to myself, I
    via MilMoixp
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    always clean up after myself, etc. I've never been super close with his girlfriend, but I always been polite. The other
    via MilMoixp
  • 05
    night, my dad mentioned they were going out to dinner and said I should go with them. He said it might be nice for us all to
    via MilMoixp
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    spend a little time together and get out of the house. I agreed, thinking it'd be chill and maybe a good chance to
    via MilMoixp
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    ease some of the weirdness. He wasn't coming, he had some work stuff, but I figured as the one suggesting it, I
    via MilMoixp
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    Cheezburger Image 10519374336
    via andresr

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    was genuinely welcome. We got there and my father's girlfriend told the host, "table for two" and then turned to me and said something like, "Oh, I
    via MilMoixp
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    thought you were just tagging along. This is a little celebration just for her" I was kind of stunned. I didn't want to make a scene so I just said
    via MilMoixp
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    "oh okay" and walked off. I ended up getting takeout nearby and Ubering home. When I got back my dad asked
    via MilMoixp
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    how dinner was and I just said, "Apparently I wasnt invited after all." Now his girlfriend is saying I overreacted and made her
    via MilMoixp
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    look bad, and my dad's stuck in the middle. Her daughter also gave me a weird look when they got back, like I had ruined the
    via MilMoixp
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    night or something. I don't think I'm entitled to a free meal or anything, but I was told I was invited. It just felt really
    via MilMoixp
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    crpy to be treated like an afterthought. AITA? UPDATE: I forgot to mention that next to the restaurant we went, there
    via MilMoixp
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    is a place that I usually meet with my friends and my father's gf knowns about it because she took me a couple of times. So maybe she thought I am headed that way?
    via MilMoixp
  • 17
    RoyallyOakie NTA...She knew what she was doing. Nobody just "tags along" to a restaurant without going in. Your father is only in the middle if he doesn't wish realize what his girlfriend is up to.
    via RoyallyOakie
  • 18
    Street-Length9871 NTA but that GF and the daughter surely are and so is your Dad for not being LIVID that they just sent you away like
    via Street-Length9871
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    that. That is horrible and ride! Your Dad does not have to be in the middle and should be on your side.
    via Street-Length9871
  • 20
    catladyclub NTA...she is just mad she was caught. Let her be. She did you dirty and didn't expect you to speak up. I am proud of you for telling him!
    via catladyclub
  • 21
    NorseKindred NTA. You didn't crash the dinner, your dad invited you. That's not tagging along, that's being told you're part of the plan. If this was
    via NorseKindred
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    supposed to be some exclusive celebration, she should have communicated that like an adult instead of ambushing someone at the hostess stand like it's a game show twist.
    via NorseKindred
  • 23
    "Oh, I thought you were just tagging along." Cool. And I thought you were raised with basic social skills, I guess we were both wrong.
    via NorseKindred
  • 24
    Momjamoms She sounds terrible. NTA. Wha drives to a restaurant with someone assuming they're not going to eat with them? That makes zero sense.
    via Momjamoms

Tags

family drama aita kids mother siblings stepmom reddit story restaurant parenting girlfriend dinner family sister Reddit women parents children Father
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